The Guild
by cel-este-c
Summary: Levy is the leader of a vigilante organization, righting society's wrongs with force. Gajeel is a mercenary who needs her help to take down the highest-ranking member of the government. She agrees, but will their previous romance impede the success of their mission? Updates are infrequent but I will finish it. Gajevy with just a hint of Nalu, Jerza, and Gruvia. In progress. AU.
1. Chapter 1

Note: I know, I should be working on my Royai fic. I honestly am. Promise. But I had the idea for this fic this morning so I had to write it. Plus my Gajevy feels are really high right now. They are just too damn cute.

Chapter 1

Levy McGarden crossed her arms impatiently, staring at Magnolia City from the 75th floor of the Fairy Tail high-rise building. The city's lights twinkled against the darkening sky. The office floor she leased from Markarov contained only a desk, the one she sat at currently, and the camera surveillance screens, which showed the front of the building, the roof, and every square inch of the floor.

Her two bodyguards, Jet and Droy, watched the screens for any hint of a problem. Jet was a thin but muscular young man of average height with his long orange hair kept in a ponytail. Droy was much bigger, since he lacked the willpower to quit eating, with dark, short hair. They both wore suits. They were all childhood friends, and Levy trusted them with her life. In return, they were very loyal to her. But she was the Boss.

One of Levy's blue curls fell in front of her face, so she tucked in under her yellow headband. She couldn't afford to look unkempt during a meeting, especially a meeting of this caliber. She wore a yellow dress with white ribbons. She liked to dress as innocently as possible, so people would trust and underestimate her. Everyone knew she was a genius, able to remember anything she read, but hardly anyone ever suspected her of other, more lethal skills. As leader of The Guild though, most assumed she had to be at least a little bit dangerous.

The Guild, first headed by Markarov, her surrogate father, was a criminal organization that specialized in paid assassinations. The Guild only terminated those worth killing: rapists, child molesters, crooked cops, evil politicians, drug kingpins, and corrupt business dealers. Anyone who preyed on the weak, the poor, or the innocent were all targets of The Guild.

Levy was aware her organization was somewhat hypocritical. Where did a bunch of murderers get off telling others what was moral? She and Markarov had spent many nights discussing it. They were vigilantes, and they were gods. They used their own judgment and ended lives. Levy honestly had no qualms about her role in the world; she was a necessary evil in an evil world. They weren't superheroes. This was real life, and justice had to be dealt with in a real way. She was doing society a service, and all she asked in return is a lot of money and discretion.

A proximity alert went up on the surveillance screen that was monitoring the front door. She looked at Droy.

"It's him," he confirmed. She nodded. She turned off the light on the desk to shadow her face but kept the other lights in the all-glass room on. She always obscured her face initially in meetings for intimidation purposes. Jet and Droy left the screens and stood next to her, arms crossed.

The elevator dinged and out walked the man called the Iron Dragon. Of course, that was the name he used in the underground to make himself seem threatening, but Levy wasn't intimidated by him at all. He was a thief, an enforcer, and a mercenary, one of the best. She had tried to make contact with him to join The Guild years ago, but he had turned her down, telling her he worked alone. For him to come to her now probably meant he was in serious trouble.

He stepped into the light in front of her desk. He had his piercings on his face and arms, which were numerous but subtle, like they had just grown out of his skin one day. He was a well-built man, muscular and probably a foot taller than she was. His black hair was long and unkempt, sticking out at all kinds of crazy angles. He radiated danger. Involuntarily she found herself raking her eyes over his body. That tight, black, sleeveless shirt he wore was not doing her any favors, either. He had great arms. He had changed little since the last time she saw him.

She checked herself. This was hardly a time to be lusting over him, a man she didn't trust. It had just been a long time since she had been with anyone. It was hard to run a major criminal organization and date. There just wasn't enough time.

He continued to walk until she held up a hand. "That's far enough."

He stopped and growled. "I came here to see McGarden. How do I know she's you? You could be an impostor."

Levy stood up, her face coming into the light. Jet and Droy started to move towards her, but she held up her hand again and they stopped. She walked out in front of her desk and turned around, her back to him. "I'm sure you remember my tattoo and scar."

Her shoulder blade had the tattoo of The Guild, the wing of the avenging angel. Above the wing was the word "boss." She also had a very large scar on her other shoulder blade, a souvenir from a bombing she had gotten caught up in. He approached her and skimmed his fingers across her tattoo to make sure it was real. Her skin burned where he touched her.

"Fine," he acquiesced, then put his arm down.

She went back to her desk, her face once again shrouded in shadow. "So what can I do for you, Gajeel Redfox?"

He smirked at her. "So you finally found out my real name? How many sources did your infamous organization go through to find that out?"

She smirked back. "Just one. You know Natsu Dragneel, don't you? He's the husband of a dear friend of mine."

"You're friends with Lucy then? I should have known that pink-haired idiot would rat me out. Part of being an informant to the government I guess," he said as he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand.

"I'll ask again. Why are you here? Everyone knows the Iron Dragon works alone, and I assume you're not in need of my services. You could take care of anyone who went up against you," Levy said as she crossed her arms, once again in impatience.

He stared down at her. "I'm going up against someone I can't get to by myself and I know you can."

She leaned forward, her elbows resting on her desk and her head propped up on her fists. Her face was once again in the light. "Well, now I'm intrigued. I can get to someone the great Iron Dragon can't reach? Your humility is intoxicating."

He scowled. "Don't get cocky, shorty."

Jet and Droy had had enough. "Insult the boss again and we'll throw you off the roof!" Jet yelled. Gajeel looked unimpressed.

"It's fine. I can take his little jabs. So what's this job you can't do alone?" Levy said, defusing the situation.

"The prime minister. He needs to be dead," Gajeel replied.

"Who did that philandering bastard screw now?" she asked nonchalantly, sitting back in her chair. The prime minister's wife had come to The Guild once to get her husband taken care of, but Levy had rejected her and advised her to divorce him instead. Cheaters were not of much consequence to Levy. Usually they got their own comeuppance.

"I'm not worried about that. He's done something a lot worse this time," Gajeel explained.

"Like what? You know my services require a certain level of immorality from the targets."

"How about ordering genocide, is that immoral enough for you?"


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Poor Jet and Droy, they can never catch a break.

Chapter 2

She continued to look up at him, her face impassive. "Genocide is definitely immoral enough to obtain the services of my organization."

He had to hand it to her, she took what he said without even flinching. Yet he expected no less than total professionalism from her.

"So who's your client?" she inquired, nodding at her bodyguards, who sat behind her in two metal folding chairs they got from one of the closets on the floor. One of the bodyguards brought Gajeel a chair, but he declined. He wasn't quite too trusting of Ms. Levy McGarden after their last encounter years ago, and he wanted to be ready to escape if need be. Though how he even could escape, he wasn't sure. Jumping out the window? He stayed standing, his arms crossed.

"You know I can't say in front of your muscle," he replied, smiling at her. She returned his smile.

"You're more competent than I remember. Does your client know I'm assisting you," she asked. A client's anonymity and wishes were, of course, of the highest importance.

"Yes. And before you ask, your cut will depend on how much work you do, and I decide how much that is," he told her before she asked. She got up and sat on her desk, her legs crossed and her fingers entwined and her face resting on them. Her face was now the same height as his.

"How much did you get up front," she questioned, her hazel eyes boring in to him as if she could see how truthful he was just by staring.

He shifted his feet but never broke her gaze. He wasn't going to be intimidated from this tiny woman, head of The Guild or not. "A lot."

"A lot? OK. Well I'll take half of it and we'll call it even. You can even take the rest of the commission after the job is done, minus expenses of course."

He narrowed his eyes. That was a very generous offer, considering she, A. had no idea what amount his upfront money was and B. his end commission was twice the money. There had to be a catch.

She hopped off the desk and stood close to him, her head tilted up to look at his face. She was as beautiful as he remembered, he could admit it. She was short and skinny, but she had curves in all the right places and her blue hair was definitely pretty. That dress she wore covered everything and gave the impression she was innocent, but he knew she was anything but.

"I don't need money. I only take what I need. So do you agree or not?" she explained, still smiling cunningly at him, her eyes twinkling.

He scratched his head and hesitated before answering. "We have a deal, not that I have much of a choice. But if I tell you the rest of the details your boys have to leave. My client wants their secrets kept."

She held out her hand and he shook it, his fingers resting in her hand a touch longer than necessary, then she went back to her desk. He put his hands in the pockets of his baggy black pants. "We should leave here. Did you eat yet, Gajeel?" she asked as she rummaged in the drawers for her purse.

"No," he replied, confused.

"Good. You'll be my dinner date then, won't you?" she answered, taking her blue messenger bag-style purse out and heading towards the elevator.

"I guess," he answered gruffly, not wanting to seem too overeager. Who knows how she would take it? He turned to the elevator, his hands still in his pockets.

"Good," she replied confidently, and linked her arm in his, her warm skin brushing his arm and sending sparks up and down his spine. Shit. He acted like her touch didn't affect him and let her keep her arm in his, not wanting to betray any weakness she might be prodding for.

They rode down to the bottom floor with Jet and Droy flanking them, both of the bodyguards glaring at him. He ignored it and said nothing. Obviously she had these two wrapped around her little finger. They got off the elevator on the bottom floor and went to the parking garage. Jet ran ahead and pulled the black SUV around for everyone else. Droy got in the passenger seat while Gajeel and Levy sat in the back next to each other. She handed her purse to Droy who held it for her and she turned her attention to Gajeel.

"We'll be at the restaurant soon, it's really close by. Do you like sushi?" she asked as she looked at him.

"It's ok," he said noncommittally. She laughed.

"You're going to be tough one to deal with, aren't you?"

He liked her laugh. "Probably," he replied, then looked out the window. Levy kept looking at him, sizing him up. The rest of the short car ride was spent in silence. When they got to the restaurant, Droy got out and let Levy out, handing over her purse. Gajeel got out himself and stood next to her by the side of the SUV. Droy was back in the car with the window rolled down by the time he came over.

"We'll be right over there," Droy said as he nodded his head toward an open parking spot nearby. "If he tries anything, you know how to contact us." The SUV then drove off.

"They're a little clingy, aren't they?" Gajeel asked roughly, somewhat insulted by the insinuation he would do something to her. He might be a mercenary, but he didn't kill people he did business with. Unless someone else came along with more money.

"They're loyal to me and I'm loyal to them. That's all," she said simply.

"The only person I'm loyal to is whoever pays me the most," Gajeel replied, watching the black SUV park.

"Oh, I'm sure you trust someone in this world," she said and pulled him towards the restaurant.

Inside the swanky and modern Japanese restaurant, a line had formed in the lobby. Gajeel went to back of the line but Levy went straight to the hostess, who was young and blonde.

"Oh Ms. Levy! Your table is ready for you," the hostess exclaimed, and Levy motioned Gajeel to follow her as they wound their way to the back of the restaurant and headed to the kitchen, where they were seated at the chef's table.

"I'll bring your regular drink, shall I?' the hostess asked, smiling.

"What's your regular?" Gajeel asked.

"White wine," Levy replied, putting her napkin in her lap.

Gajeel turned to the hostess. "Sake for me, thanks."

The chef's table was incredibly loud, the sounds of the kitchen muffling out any other noise from inside the actual restaurant. Gajeel could see why this was her usual spot. No one in the kitchen would listen to her conversations, they were too busy pushing out food. They didn't speak until the hostess came back with their drinks. She took a sip of her wine and looked at him again.

"So tell me, Gajeel, who is your mysterious client?"

He turned and looked at her, his red eyes intent on hers. "My client is Markarov."


	3. Chapter 3

Note: Sorry this took so long, I've been having wifi issues. Anyway, I hope it's worth the wait. I'm working on another chapter right now. This story might turn out really long, idk. Hints of Jerza and Gruvia in this! Wooo! Hints though. Very small amount.

Chapter 3

Levy looked at him, anger flashing in her hazel eyes. "I'm sorry, what? Markarov? The man who raised me? The man who ran The Guild before me? He came to you for a job and not me? Why? And don't give me that, 'He thought it was too dangerous,' crap because I have been around danger my whole adult life," she said hotly. She downed her wine in one gulp, then crossed her arms and glared at Gajeel.

He hesitated before answering, as he was honestly very intimidated by her at the moment. Luckily, the waiter came to take their order. She smiled and acted sweet to the young waiter, who flirted with her a little. It made Gajeel a bit upset, and he growled his order at the waiter threateningly. The waiter then quickly left, and Levy's mood quickly changed from sweet to hostile as she turned towards Gajeel again. She raised her eyebrows at him, silently demanding an answer.

"He didn't really come to me. I went to him. So quit bitchin," he replied, on the offensive.

"Fine. I'll let it go until I can talk to Markarov about it. In fact, I'm going to text him right now," she replied, digging around in her purse in her phone. She sent a quick text wanting an explanation and set her phone on the table in front of her.

"So until you do get a text, could we please talk about how we're gonna to do this? I honestly don't have all day to sit around with you and eat sushi," he said.

"Fine. The sooner we get this done, the better for the country, and my own sanity. I've already decided that we'll need at least six other people for this job to happen. I'm going to need Natsu and Lucy to pass on information to the prime minister's security team, that will be first. Then we'll need two people to infiltrate the security team. I have two people in mind already, people that work for me," she replied, her plan unraveling in her mind as she spoke.

"Who are they?" he asked, curious.

"Their names are Erza Scarlet and Jellal Fernandes, I'm sure you've heard of them, Erza especially."

"You mean Titania and Mystogan? Yeah, I've heard of them. Eliminated some terrorist on a train, disrupted a plot, saved about a million people's lives," he replied.

"Yes. That train was bound for the center of Crocus, during the Games, with enough explosives to wipe out the entire city. Erza and Jellal are my best agents, so this job will be easy enough for them. What I don't have is a decent hacker, which we need. My best security hacker just retired to be with his family, so that's what I'm counting on you for," she explained, her earlier annoyance long gone, the plan in her head becoming more tangible.

He smiled. He finally had her on something. "The people I have in mind work together. Gray Fullbuster and Juvia Lockser. Can hack anything. Worked with 'em before, they're discreet as hell as long as you pay them enough."

"Fine, then we have our team. Now we can't just outright murder the prime minister, it would be way too suspicious. It either has to look like an accident or a very well thought out terrorist attack. This might takes months of infiltration so we can escape notice once all is said and done," she continued, her eyes alight with the promise of a new long-term op to plan.

"So what do we do, meaning you and I," he asked, noting her enthusiasm.

"Research and surveillance as of now, then further on we'll be running the show. Everyone will report to you and I. I think that's fair," she replied. He was shocked she trusted enough to share leadership.

The waiter came again and gave them their food and also filled Levy's glass. Levy smiled at the waiter again but he was less friendly after noting Gajeel's glare. He quickly left again.

Levy sipped her drink and then picked up her chopsticks to start eating. "What do you have against that waiter," she asked nonchalantly.

"Nothing. I just don't like it when people hang around while I'm talkin' jobs," he replied, picking up his own chopsticks.

She looked at him knowingly. He wanted her still. She smiled to herself and he noticed.

"What're you so happy about?" he demanded.

"Nothing," she replied, still smiling.

"Whatever," he grunted.

"We need to start planting bugs in the prime minister's office and home, and probably his love nest where he keeps his mistresses as well," she said, quickly changing the subject.

"We?"

"Yes, you and I. Erza and Jellal are still on a job out of the country for the next two days and we need to start getting information now. Are you up for it tonight?"

He grinned at her. "I'm ready for anything."

She put down her chopsticks and looked at him seriously. "Who did the prime minister order to be killed? You said he ordered genocide, so who was it?"

He also put his chopsticks down, and his face became heavy with sorrow. "The Exceeds."


	4. Chapter 4

Note: This chapter gets very dark. I'm going to go back and edit my earlier chapters soon. I originally wanted each chapter to be from either Gajeel or Levy's viewpoint in the beginning but I didn't like how it was turning out. Currently working on two more chapters as we speak. Review if you want, I appreciate all the feedback I get.

Chapter 4

"The Exceeds?" Levy asked.

Gajeel looked at her. "It's what they called the 'Exceed Program.' They were the result of an experiment that Prime Minister Jose Porla ordered on orphans, all of 'em in Fiore. It was supposed to make 'em into some kind of invincible soldiers, 'exceed' the human race, but instead they were made weaker from the radiation. They got diseases, became disfigured, all kinds of shitty things. He put children in a lab, Levy, and he had people experiment on 'em, children with no family, no one to protect 'em. He mutated their DNA so they could become his personal guard. He's a sick bastard."

Levy looked at Gajeel, horrified.

"For some reason, the children fixated on cats. Worshipped them, almost. Thought they held the wisdom of the universe. That was the only thing they ever talked about. They were innocent children, and when the DNA mutations went wrong, Jose ordered their execution. They weren't gonna grow up to be invincible soldiers to protect him, so he had no reason to keep the kids alive. And no one knew what happened to 'em, cuz no one cared about 'em to begin with," Gajeel finished, his head hanging down, unable to make eye contact with Levy.

"How do you know all this? I have sources all over, in almost every level of government, and I have absolutely no knowledge of this," she asked, her eyes still wide in horror. She gently laid her hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"One of the scientists who had done the experiments came to me, wanted my protection. Said he needed a bodyguard. Told me the whole thing. Cuz not only did Jose Porla order the execution of his test subjects, he also ordered the execution of the 24 scientists who had exclusively worked at the lab to cover his tracks," he continued somberly. She started rubbing his back softly. She was naturally a caring person, wanting to comfort anyone she saw in pain by instinct.

"What happened to the scientist?" Levy asked.

"He couldn't take it anymore. The monstrous deeds he had done. The guilt overtook him. I left to check the perimeter outside my safe house and when I came back he had...hanged himself. Fortunately though, he left all the documents he had taken from the lab with me. I went to Markarov with 'em. He's the only person I could think of who could protect those documents. After he read 'em and I told him what the scientist had told me, he hired me to leak the lab documents, which would force the prime minister to, at the very least, resign and, at most, net him time in prison. Then I would dispose of him, just like he did to those kids. It was harder to do alone than I thought. So Markarov told me to go to you. So there's all the information, so you don't have to wait for Markarov to text you anymore," he explained.

Levy drank all her wine again in one go, and then looked up at Gajeel, her eyes hard. "I'll kill that bastard myself."

Gajeel smiled at her. He had always admired the fire she had inside of her. "I'll flip a coin with you for it. Now you know why this has to be done, and why only so few people can know. This information's dangerous. Jose Porla is a bastard, but he's smart and powerful. Markarov hired me originally cuz he loves you and wants to protect you, but he soon realized you were the only one who could help me," he said. Her hand was still rubbing his back, and now that he had told her everything, he couldn't help but like the feel of her hand, how it gently moved over his back to calm him, her fingers running over his back muscles softly.

Much to Gajeel's disappointment, she noticed she was still touching him and quickly started eating again. She felt herself blushing. What the hell? She never blushed, she never got frazzled, and she was always in control.

He noted her blush but remained silent about it. No point in getting her all pissed at him over nothing.

She cleared her throat. "So about tonight, I say we run surveillance on Porla's house and mistress' apartment and figure out the right time to go in and plant those bugs. I think the apartment will be easier since Jose's current mistress is quite the partier. It might even be empty tonight," she explained as she ate her sushi, glancing at him occasionally.

"Sounds fine to me," he replied as he also ate. Being in a closed space in the dark with Levy for hours at a time? Yeah, he was fine with that. Especially if she wanted to put her hands on him again...

"Good. We'll go straight from here," she stated.

"How about your goons," Gajeel referred to Jet and Droy.

"Give me a second," she replied as she started calling them. "Jet, it's me. No, I'm fine. Listen, Gajeel is taking me home. That's really none of your business. Goodbye. See you tomorrow," she said rigidly, in between the pauses when she listened to Jet talking. She then read a text and shut off her phone, annoyed. How dare Jet even hint at that?

"Markarov's text told me to talk to you about the Exceed Program, so I guess I have to believe what you are saying," Levy said, her voice still somewhat strained.

"That's nice. So what did your stooge say to get you all pissed off?" Gajeel asked, curious about her sudden change in mood.

"He insinuated something about you and I that I thought was inappropriate and none of his concern," she replied haughtily.

"Oh. So he thought I was taking you home to have my way with you?" he asked simply, eating his sushi again.

"He forgets that he has no bearing on that aspect of my life," she replied, also suddenly very interested in her food.

"So what you're saying is that you aren't against that necessarily? You and I?" he asked bluntly, once again gazing into her eyes.

She swallowed. His gaze was so intense and heated. She remembered it from that night, so many years ago, but so fresh in her mind. It made her want to melt in the booth where they were sitting. "Um, not at the moment, but perhaps further down the road..." she trailed off.

He grinned. "I can wait."

She collected herself. "You're going to have to."


	5. Chapter 5

Note: Kind of a long chapter, but with some Gajevy fluff!

So I'm looking for a beta reader, I have a lot of ideas that I need to bounce off of someone. If you're interested, please message me. Thank you for all your reviews! They are extremely helpful. I reread all the chapters many times but I always miss something. I love constructive criticism and outright praise so please continue to review if you are so inclined. Currently working on two chapters now!

Chapter 5

"I don't think I'll be waiting that long," Gajeel replied as he finished his sushi.

"If you say so," Levy replied weakly. She hadn't argued because she really agreed with him. Ever since he had walked into her building all she could think about was his muscular body on top of hers, his big hands all over her body, and...

"Stop it, Levy. You're a criminal mastermind, not some high school girl on Prom night," she chided herself internally. She had things to do, children whose lives she had to avenge. Sleeping with Gajeel could wait. Maybe.

The waiter brought the check, which Gajeel quickly grabbed and threw down some cash for. "This counts as an expense, right?"

"I suppose, but I was the one who asked you out, so maybe I should pay," she replied.

"I already paid. We're in a hurry. Let's go," he said impatiently. Like he was going to let her pay. He grabbed her hand and helped her out of the booth.

"What a gentleman," she commented.

"Well your dress is too short. Didn't want you flashing everyone," he replied.

"I am wearing underwear, so I wouldn't be flashing anyone," she argued back. He made a sound between a grunt and a growl and she she didn't argue the point any longer.

She kept hold of his hand and started dragging him out of the restaurant, which was now even busier. Once they were outside, Levy ran into the alley next to the restaurant. It was well-lit but dirty, with garbage strewn about, and only a dumpster residing in it. People passed by them in the street but no one spared them a glance. She pressed her back up against the wall.

"What are we doin' here shrimp? I do not wanna have sex out here," Gajeel said as he stood next to her.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, me neither. I'm trying to lose Jet and Droy, I saw them in the restaurant."

He sighed. She was trying to evade her own guard. Unbelievable.

She peeked around the wall to the street. "Crap, they're coming through that crowd outside the restaurant! We should hide behind that dumpster," she whispered urgently, pointing to the dumpster that was halfway down the alley.

"Nope," he said. He'd had enough. Those two dumbasses were gonna make his life hell. He was just gonna nip this little problem in the bud right here and now. Hopefully she didn't slap him afterwards. Hopefully she enjoyed it as much as he knew he would.

He moved in front of her and put his palms against the wall between her face then leaned down quickly and put his lips on hers before she could say anything. It took her no time at all to start kissing him back, her hands grabbing his black shirt and pulling him even closer to her.

He forgot why he had started kissing her, and he no longer cared. Oh yeah, to make Jet and Droy jealous so they'd get pissed and leave him and Levy alone. She smelled so good, like old books and flowers, just like he remembered. He pushed his tongue against her lips and she opened her mouth, her own tongue invading his mouth. Damn, she was so hot. He grabbed her tiny ass and pulled her up so their faces were even and he wouldn't have to bend down anymore. She let out a tiny gasp. He steadied her back against the wall as she wrapped her petite legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He could feel every part of her body pressed against him and he cursed the fact they were in a dirty alley right now and not somewhere with a bed. Or even a clean floor with a blanket. Anywhere but here, the least romantic place ever.

She had no idea how this happened. One minute she was talking to him, then the next minute he was kissing her. He was a great kisser. She could kiss him forever. She wrapped her fingers in his surprisingly soft hair and rubbed herself against him, her body yearning for more than just kissing. His body was hard and muscular, and she started moving her hands all over him, wanting to touch every inch. If he took her right here, against the wall in a gross alley with people around, she would not care. She let out a moan against his mouth.

"Levy!" Droy cried out, breathing heavily, as he and Jet had finally reached the alley. She groaned, annoyed, as she moved her mouth off Gajeel's. They were not going to be ok with this.

"Fucking cockblocks," Gajeel muttered under his breath, frustrated.

Jet eyes looked dangerous, and he looked like he wanted to punch Gajeel, but Gajeel looked way scarier as he let Levy down with a predatory growl.

"I thought I told you two to go home!" Levy yelled as she straightened her dress, visibly annoyed. She crossed her arms and glared at them both.

"We can't leave you with him!" Droy argued as he and Jet descended on Gajeel.

"Levy can be with me if she wants. We were enjoying ourselves before you two jackasses showed up," Gajeel said quietly but menacingly, moving in front of Levy.

"I doubt she was enjoying it," Jet said scathingly.

"Enough," Levy yelled as she stepped between the men. "I do what I want. And you two get no say in that." She pointed at Jet and Droy. "I'm the boss. When I say go home, you better go the fuck home. I expect my SUV to be parked in my parking spot by the time I get home. If not, you should find other employment," she finished, then grabbed Gajeel and stormed off down the street. Jet and Droy looked at them leaved, completely shocked at Levy's outburst.

"What the hell? Where are we going?" Gajeel roared, and several onlookers outside the restaurant stared at the couple in surprise.

"My apartment. Then we're going to Porla's mistress' place. I'm not going to waste anymore time tonight dealing with stupid men," she replied.

What had come over Jet and Droy? She was a better fighter than both of them, she could take care of herself if she had to. If they were motivated by jealousy then they were even more incompetent. She had told them years ago she only wanted them to be her friends. Either way she was displeased with them and their behavior tonight. They also interrupted her _very_ quality time with Gajeel, so now she was frustrated on top of everything. She sighed.

"I think it's safe to say your boys hate me," Gajeel said as they reached Levy's apartment building, a luxury high-rise downtown called Fairy Hills. Her doorman greeted her and looked at Gajeel warily. Gajeel just smiled at the old man as he and Levy got on the elevator. She put her card key in the slot and the elevator took them to the top floor.

"Penthouse, huh?" Gajeel said, impressed. Levy didn't reply. She was still fuming.

The elevator door opened to a short, beige hallway with a blue door at the end. She slid her card key in the slot next to the door and opened it. Inside was a scholar's paradise, an apartment that was 90% library, 10% actual living space. The loft was huge and filled with bookshelves everywhere, the shelves crammed with books. Statues and other artifacts Levy had found on her travels around the world were also on display, along with various potted plants. It was like a museum.

"Make yourself at home," she said as she gestured at the red plush sofa in the living room. "I'll be out shortly."

She walked to her bedroom but didn't bother shutting the door. It was out of habit, as she never closed the door in case she needed to hear someone coming if they came for her here. It wouldn't be easy to breach the security in this place, but Levy had made some pretty bad enemies throughout the years.

Gajeel was sitting, looking around her apartment in wonder until his eyes found her while she changed. His mouth got dry. She had her back to him as she pulled her dress over her head and dropped it on the floor. She changed into tight black leggings and a black long-sleeved shirt. She was tying her hair up when she noticed her open door and Gajeel, her hazel eyes meeting his red ones.

"Quit staring and let's go. We have work to do," she said as she walked towards him briskly. He stood up and they took the elevator down to the parking garage. Her SUV was waiting in her spot.

"Well at least those two dumbasses can do one job right," Gajeel said quietly as he climbed into the passenger seat.

Levy started the car and backed out. She was now feeling kind of guilty about what she had said to Jet and Droy. They were only trying to protect her, but at the same time they were overstepping their bounds of protection. He didn't say anything until she stopped across the street from the apartment. It was a shabby building on the outskirts of downtown. It was an ok neighborhood, just not fashionable. The street was completely deserted as it was after midnight.

Gajeel whistled. "I thought Jose would shell out a bit more for his chick's place," he commented.

"It's a lot less suspicious out here I guess. That's her car in front," she said as she pointed to a red sedan.

"Maybe she took a cab to the club tonight," Gajeel offered.

"There's only one way to find out," she replied as she got out of the SUV. He followed right behind her as they quickly walked across the street and around the side of the building.

"She lives on the first floor, this side. Oh look, her window is open," Levy whispered as she pointed to the open window a foot above her. "She's not too bright. There's not even a screen."

Gajeel surveyed the height to the window. "I'll lift you up there. I'm assuming you can crawl in and not make a ton of noise," he asked.

She glared at him. "This isn't my first break-in."

He just grinned back, then knelt down in front of her and she climbed onto his back, her arms encircling his neck and his arms holding her legs. He moved her over to the window and she peeked in.

"It's an empty living room," she whispered in his ear after looking a while. Damn it, she was so tempting, her body pressed against him again, her breath caressing his ear.

She climbed on his shoulders and into the window, landing silently and quickly surveying the room. She moved silently through the small apartment, but no one was there. She whispered down to Gajeel that it was clear, and he climbed into the window.

"Do you think there's any surveillance here?' he asked as he put on the black gloves she had given him.

She shook her head. "Jose wouldn't want any record of himself coming here. Plus he's thinks he's untouchable, which will be his downfall."

They swept the room for bugs and cameras anyway, and found nothing. Levy planted a bug in the bedroom while Gajeel put one in the smoke detector in the living room. They quickly but quietly left the apartment and back to Levy's vehicle. Gajeel turned on his laptop and was setting up the bug software while Levy drove back to her place.

"Ready for an all-nighter?" she asked him, winking. He sighed gruffly in response.


	6. Chapter 6

Note: I've edited the story a bit so Gajeel and Levy's relationship seems more organic. So if this chapter is confusing to you if you've read this fic previously, you can either re-read it with the changes I've made or just know I've changed it so Levy and Gajeel hooked up previously. Sorry for any confusion, but I like it better this way.

Chapter 6

By the time they had gotten back to Levy's apartment, Jose Porla's mistress, who turned out to be named Missy, was back at home. She had gotten a ride from a friend that night, a friend named Callie who was going to crash on her couch. Most of what Gajeel and Levy heard was about their night out, and none of it whatsoever included any mention of Jose Porla.

Gajeel and Levy had taken turns listening in on the inane conversations of the 19-year-old party girl. Gajeel left around 2 a.m. and took Levy's SUV to his place so he could shower and change clothes, and when he got back his long black hair was wet and he was dressed in another tight black t-shirt and gray athletic shorts. Levy had also changed while he was gone and she was wearing a Hello Kitty t-shirt and white shorts. She was lying back in a red chair that matched her sofa when he got back, her eyes closed and head resting on the armrest. She sighed loudly.

"I cannot take anymore of this drivel! Tomorrow night we are bugging Jose's office or residence, I don't care if it will be twice as hard as what we did tonight! All this girl has talked about is who bought her drinks tonight. It is so boring. I want to read," she said as he came in and sat on the sofa, his laptop on the coffee table where the audio from the bug was coming from.

The apartment was dimly lit, so Gajeel couldn't really see her face, but he imagined her looking annoyed. He grinned. "You were young once, weren't you? Didn't you have fun, ever?"

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Fun? Getting drunk and getting hit on by creepy guys is supposed to be fun? When I was 19 I was infiltrating a drug ring. That was fun," she replied, her eyes wandering to the ceiling as she recalled the time.

"A drug ring, eh? It wasn't that one run by the southern cartel, was it?" he asked, somewhat hesitantly.

She sat up and looked at him again. "Yes it was. It caused the skirmish on the southern border of Fiore. But you knew that, because you tried to blow me up there," she replied, smiling. She shook her head. "I know you were trying to eliminate the cartel on the border. I didn't even know it was you at the time. No hard feelings. I mean, I was in the hospital for a month with a few broken ribs, some minor burns from the blast, and now I have that huge scar on my back, but, hey, what's a couple of injuries between friends?"

He winced. "I don't do that anymore," he replied.

"Do what?" she asked, her hazel eyes intent on him.

"Blow shit up without worrying about anyone else," he replied somberly, the audio from the bug rattling on in the background. "My days as the bloodthirsty Iron Dragon are over."

She pressed her lips together. "Sorry, didn't mean to bring it up."

"It's not a big deal." He looked at her hesitantly. "So listen, on my way over I was thinking, and I wanted to explain about earlier. When I kissed ya. Cuz it's not like that came out of nowhere," he started to explain, scratching his head awkwardly and pointedly not looking at her.

"So you want to talk about that night? That night in Crocus four years ago? Is that where you are going with this?" she asked.

In her mind, she saw an opulent hotel room, with a large canopy bed, white fabric blowing in the slight breeze from the large, open window that led out to the balcony. His hair had been shorter, while hers had been longer and a darker blue. She remembered the sex, of course, but what had stuck around most in her mind was what had transpired after. She lay on her stomach, naked, while he stroked the scar on her back with his large hand. She flipped over and ran her hands all over his naked body, feeling every part of him, all of his scars and piercings. He kissed her thoroughly, and held her so tight, as if she might escape. She had been so happy, feeling so safe in his arms, until she had woken up, cold. He was gone, his body heat missing from her side.

"Yeah. After that job, stealing those guns away from the mafia, I'll admit I was very attracted to you. More than that. Which is obviously why we ended up sleeping together. But we couldn't be together. It wouldn't have worked. So I left. I figured you'd understand. I wanted to stay, so bad. I wanted to get breakfast and spend the day together in Crocus. Or just in bed. But I worked alone at that time, for good reason. The cops were on to me. I couldn't get you involved in that," he explained.

"So what about after you were found innocent? You could have found me then if you wanted," she replied, her arms crossed.

"I thought it was best if I didn't. You had taken over The Guild by then. Plus, I wasn't sure if you even cared about me that much. I might have just been a one-night stand to you," he answered, his eyes on the floor.

She quickly made her way to where he was sitting on the sofa and put her hands around him, hugging him close to her. He grabbed her back tightly. "I've thought about you every night since that night. Even though we only knew each other for three days for that job, I couldn't ever shake the memory of you from my mind. Or that night. I just thought since you left before I woke up that you weren't that interested in me," she whispered in his ear.

He laughed. "Gihi. Levy. There was never a day that went by that I didn't want you next to me."

They looked at each other, both smiling. He caressed her face, slowly, as if to memorize it by touch. He then slowly leaned forward, his lips an inch away from hers. She closed her eyes.

"Jose? What are you doing here? Callie's passed out on the sofa, you shouldn't be here," Missy, Jose's mistress, hissed quietly over the bug's audio.

"Fuck," Gajeel growled. "I will kill Jose Porla right fucking now! I keep getting cock-blocked!"

Levy climbed off of Gajeel and went to his laptop, turning up the volume, listening intently, while sitting on the wooden table right next to it.

"I needed to see you baby. I was so lonely," Jose told Missy. Levy imagined him pouting like a baby.

"Fine, come here," Missy replied.

"Do we need to listen anymore? Listening to Jose fucking that girl might make me sick," Gajeel asked, frustrated and disgusted.

"He might say something about his security. We have to," Levy replied.

They heard some rustling in the audio, some heavy breathing, then nothing. "Is he done already?" Gajeel joked.

"I don't know." She looked at him thoughtfully. "I am going to sleep. We have a lot to do tomorrow. Wake me up in a couple hours and I'll keep listening while you sleep," she said. She walked back over to the sofa and lay her head down in his lap, closing her eyes and instantly falling asleep, a trick she had learned on jobs throughout the years. He stroked her blue hair while sitting in silence. He had never felt so content. She was just as he remembered, high-spirited, demanding, fiery, and beautiful. This was his second chance with her. He wouldn't blow it this time by leaving.

He woke her three hours later by kissing her. She slowly woke up, kissing him back and placing her hands on his face, running her fingers over his piercings.

"I always liked the feel of these," she whispered, her eyes still closed, a small smile on her face.

He couldn't help but smile at all the adorable things she said. "It's your turn to listen to the bug, shorty," he ordered.

She sat up, stretching her arms above her. "No problem." She leaned against the armrest of the sofa and held out her arms to him. "Come here."

He did as she asked and they traded places, his head in her lap as she stroked his long hair while he quickly fell into a quiet slumber. They stayed that way until dawn, when finally the bug picked up audio again.

"Where are you going?" Missy asked Jose sleepily, a rustling of clothes and sheets barely audible.

"I have a plane to catch. I'll be back in a couple days," Jose replied.

"Gajeel, wake up," Levy said excitedly.

He opened his eyes slowly. "What?"

"Jose's leaving for a couple days. We should go bug his office and residence. Security will be much more lax," she explained.

"His schedule didn't have him leaving the country for weeks," he replied, closing his eyes again and yawning.

"I know. It seems like things are working out in our favor."

"Don't jinx it," he grumbled.


	7. Chapter 7

Note: Super-long chapter. But finally, the gang's all here. The ending might change.

Chapter 7

That night, Gajeel and Levy were headed to Levy's hideout in the warehouse district on the other side of town. They were both wearing black, she in a knee-length dress and leggings, he in baggy pants and a tight t-shirt. The street was dark, the only illumination coming from a random street light which were sparsely placed in this part of town. The fog was somewhat heavy this late at night/early in the morning, obscuring the street somewhat. Levy walked up to a small brick warehouse on the left side of the street and stood next to a thick metal door. A surveillance camera placed on the roof swung towards them, zooming in.

"Please don't tell me that's all the security you have," he joked as he nodded at the camera.

She narrowed her eyes at him incredulously. "Really? What do you take me for? I'm not an amateur. Honestly, I feel insulted now." He just grinned at her.

All of a sudden a panel came out of the thick door they were standing in front of, with a retinal scanner and a voice recognition device attached. Levy leaned over and had her eyes scanned first. Gajeel also leaned over her shoulder to get a glimpse of it. She could feel his body heat enveloping the entirety of her body. She shivered slightly at his proximity.

"I've never seen a retinal scanner and a voice recognizer in such a compact door panel before," he commented.

"It hasn't been released yet, but I happen to know someone..." she trailed off as the retinal scanner finished.

He stood back up and crossed his arms. "Of course you do."

She looked at him and shrugged her shoulders. A small screen flashed the word "PASSWORD?" in bright red letters. "Mavis."

The panel snapped back into place and the door opened. Levy took one last look around and stepped in, with Gajeel following quickly behind.

They stepped into a dark hall. "That password I gave is the one I use to indicate to the system I have an ally accompanying me into headquarters," Levy explained as they walked quickly down the hall.

"So I'm guessing you have a password for if you've been taken hostage and the person is forcing you to come in, which I assume activates some kind of traps in this hallway. That's...genius," he replied, impressed.

She smiled. "Why thank you Gajeel. I appreciate the compliment."

"Don't get used to it or anything," he muttered.

They finally reached a door at the end of the long, dark hallway, which led to some stairs that they took up to the next level. They came to another hallway, this one lit dimly and filled with gray doors. They both heard a muffled yell coming from behind one of the doors further down the hall as they walked in.

Levy picked up her pace, concerned, but as she drew closer to the door where the sounds were emanating from she heard them more more clearly and groaned, stopping and rubbing her fingers against her temples in frustration. She kept her distance, knowing they would finish eventually.

Gajeel caught up with her and stood next to where she stopped. He also noticed the sounds had become clearer. It was a man and a woman, moaning...? It was definitely sex noises.

Gajeel started scratching the bottom of his chin, something he did when he got flustered but trying to hide it. "So...you wanna tell me what that's about," he said as he gestured towards the door.

She sighed again and looked up at him. "That's Erza and Jellal, having sex, obviously, in the command center. They can't really ever keep their hands off each other. Ever since they reunited they are on each other anytime they are alone. I've talked to them about not doing that here, but it goes nowhere.I did not expect them back yet," she explained.

He cleared his throat. "Um, uh, reunited, you say?" He had to keep talking. _They _had to keep talking, because between hearing Erza and Jellal's, um, intimate time, and the rather graphic thoughts Gajeel had been having about Levy ever since they had kissed, he had to have something to distract himself, lest he did something rash, like take Levy into one of those rooms and make her scream louder than Erza. Which he damn well would.

She gave him a solemn look. "Jellal and Erza were sold into slavery as infants and then became childhood sweethearts. Erza was rescued by Markarov, but he couldn't save them both of them at the time. When he went back, Jellal was already gone. Erza was devastated. She searched for him ever since and finally found him again a couple years ago, hiding from their captors out in the country under a new name. She then brought him here, and now they do this all the time, making up for lost time and all that," Levy said, gesturing towards the door, where it sounded like Erza was now screaming Jellal's name in pleasure. Levy sighed.

Gajeel started blushing. "Slavery? Human trafficking?"

"Not that I know of. I never asked," she replied, seemingly unphased by the cacophony of moans and screams behind the door.

Ezra's screaming got high-pitched and abruptly stopped, which led to a deep sigh. Jellal let out a satisfied grunt.

Levy smiled. "I think they're done," she whispered to Gajeel, then loudly exclaimed, "Come in here with me Gajeel!" as a warning to them that she and Gajeel were there. She would give them exactly 10 seconds to put themselves together. She twisted the doorknob and led Gajeel into the command center. It was a large, gray room with a large wooden table and chairs around it. The walls were covered with pictures and papers, all about Jose Porla. There were no windows. Erza and Jellal were sitting on opposite sides of the table in the middle, not a hair out of place. If she hadn't heard them before she would have thought they had been just sitting and talking this whole time.

Erza had scarlet-colored hair and always wore a new outfit. Levy had never seen her wear something twice. Jellal had blue hair and a red tattoo near his eye. It was a strange marking but Levy had never asked what it meant.

"Erza, Jellal, how was your trip? You're early," Levy asked sweetly as she gathered up some papers she had left on the end of the table. Gajeel sat on a chair at the other end of the table, watching Levy, still slightly red.

"The target was eliminated, and the girls have all been returned to their families," Erza said professionally.

"Very good. The mothers of those stolen girls will be glad to have their daughters back," she said happily.

A security alert went off on her phone and she switched to the live camera feed. Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Juvia were all outside the entrance, the two men wary of each other and the two women chatting. Levy unlocked the door. "The rest of the team should be here momentarily. Natsu and Lucy will show Gray and Juvia here, they've been here many times," Levy said to Gajeel. He nodded.

Levy stood at the head of the table, still going through papers, and Gajeel got up and stood next to her, his arms crossed, still watching her. The rest of the team came in, talking loudly, but turned silent once they sat down, Natsu and Lucy next to Erza and Gray and Juvia next to Jellal. Levy looked around at them.

"As you know, we are here today to make the prime minister pay for the atrocities he has committed against innocent children. He cannot go unpunished. The Guild and some associates have been hired to publicly ruin Jose Porla and then, once he has suffered enough, eliminate him," Levy explained to everyone in the room.

"Jose ordered the genocide of a group of mutated children, a new type of human, a new species called the Exceeds. According to my informant, the kids were way above us in the evolutionary chain mentally, but physically far below a normal human kid. They couldn't walk anymore but could talk to each other telepathically. 95% had some kind of terminal illness, either from the radiation or the brain surgery. The scientist didn't know," Gajeel continued, his voice solemn. Lucy let out a small, sad, "No," and Natsu put his arm around her, holding her tight against him. Everyone else just looked shocked.

Levy passed out folders to everyone and then handed one to Gajeel. Everyone began sifting through the papers inside. She pointed her phone projector at the wall, where all the documents she handed them were now displayed on a screen on the wall behind her. Everyone was somber.

"Now it's time for introductions, seeing as we are all not familiar with each other yet. What I've given you is the dossier of everyone on this team. I will give the highlights during this meeting, and you can read the rest later. It's important that we trust each other because this mission is very dangerous. If you have any doubts or if you try to play me, I warn you now: I am the head of The Guild. I have hundreds of assassins at my disposal, so think twice if you feel like running off to Jose Porla. Jose might grant you mercy, but I will not," she said sternly, directing herself mostly to Juvia and Gray, the only people she didn't know. Natsu and Lucy turned and quietly laughed together, knowing they could never betray Levy, as they were much too scared to do so. Gajeel looked awed and was slightly turned on, if he was honest with himself.

Gray scowled. "I wouldn't care if he offered more money, I would never work for that asshole."

Levy smiled. "That's what I like to hear. Page 1: Natsu Dragneel," Levy read as she dimmed the lights. The screen showed a pink-haired, well-built young man. He had large dark eyes and always wore a white scarf. "Age: 23. Married to Lucy née Heartfilia. Codename: Fire Dragon. Used to work for The Guild until the Bureau of Intelligence recruited him. Now he is a double-agent, passing on whatever information I deem necessary, and telling me what I need to know. Natsu started off making rockets as a child and grew up to become an explosives expert, which I still hire him for to this day." Natsu grinned as he listened to Levy talk about him.

"Page 2: Lucy Dragneel, née Heartfilia." Levy continued. A young blonde woman was now on the screen. She was thin and always wearing clothes Levy thought were a bit too showy. She never said anything though. It wasn't her place. "Age: 22. Codename: Key Princess. Heir to the Heartfilia fortune, she forsake it to be with Natsu and to make her own path as a government agent. She also became a double agent once she became aware of what we do here. She is an authority in cracking safes and unlocking doors, a skill she picked up trying to break-in to rooms in her own house as a young girl." Lucy blushed as Levy talked about her. Natsu hugged her again, proud of his wife.

"Page 3: Gray Fullbuster," Gajeel stepped in, as he knew Gray. The screen showed a muscular young man with dark hair. He was at least half-naked in 90% of the pictures. "Age: 23. Codename: Ice Make. A hacker at the age of 13, got arrested for illegally pirating songs but avoided charges due to "clerical error." Did some freelance work for awhile, breaking in to the military mainframe and taking classified documents to leak to the public. Now works for the cyber-vigilante group known as the Mages, which is how he met Juvia. Main talent is planting viruses and freezing out shady people's bank accounts." Gray looked proud of himself. Natsu smirked, unimpressed.

"Page 4: Juvia Lockser," Gajeel continued. The screen showed a curvy woman with blue hair. "Age: 24. Codename: Water. Really, that's it?" Juvia nodded. "Anyway, Juvia worked for me up until she joined the Mages, and was my first and last employee. She was in charge of flooding the internet with false information to confuse our enemies and helped me with jobs. She met Gray while working a side-job for the Mages involving revealing some teenage assholes who had raped a girl three years younger than them and put the video of 'em doing it online. Happily they all went to prison, thanks to the efforts of the Mages. Since then Gray and Juvia have been a team." Juvia looked lovingly at Gray, who smiled back at her uneasily.

"Page 5 and 6: I think everyone knows about Erza and Jellal pretty much. Erza Scarlet, Codename: Titania. Age: 27. Jellal Fernandes, Codename: Mystogan. Age: 28. My top agents, stopped terrorist threats all over the world," Levy summarized. Erza just smiled with pride at Jellal, who smiled back. Levy didn't want to get into their history too much in front of them, she knew it was painful. Plus Erza and Jellal were famous in the underground, so there was no need for much introduction.

"Page 7: Gajeel Redfox. Age: 26. Codename: Iron Dragon. No early history, even your birth records have been purged from all systems. The best mercenary money can buy. A man with many identities, you have a long criminal history, with charges of grand theft auto, unlawful use of a weapon, fraud, public drunkenness, driving without a license, jaywalking, and manslaughter, to name a few, and all with different identities. Yet you served no time, as no prosecutor could ever find enough evidence to convict you. You never left anything at the scene of the crime; no DNA, nothing at all. A true professional," Levy commented.

"That sounded like a compliment," Gajeel replied, smiling wickedly.

"Don't get your hopes up," Levy replied sarcastically, returning his smile. Everyone else in the room exchanged glances with raised eyebrows.

"What's with them?" Natsu whispered to Lucy. She just jabbed him in the side with her elbow.

"Geez Luce, what was that for?" Natsu asked, rubbing his side where she had hurt him. She just shushed him and turned back to Levy.

"Lastly, myself, Levy McGarden. Codename: Guild Master. Age: 25. A certified genius at age 7, I can remember anything I read. By age 15 I had graduated with my PhD from three different universities in physics, political science, and English literature. I was then told by my surrogate father that he was in charge of The Guild, and that I could take over if I wanted and when I was ready. I spent the next five years traveling the world, learning languages, practicing martial arts and weaponry, making contacts, and blending in to any environment. I have been running The Guild ever since I returned," Levy finished. She turned off the projector.

She turned and looked at each of them, Gajeel last. "I'm prepared to do what I must for justice. I know that all of you are capable of finishing this job without problems," she said confidently.

"Levy and I will both be in charge. If you have a problem, see one of us. We'll be in constant contact with each other," Gajeel added as he stood next to her again.

"Now your assignments: Erza, Jellal, you're going to infiltrate Jose's security team. Two members of his current team are about to be implicated in a future terrorist attack," Levy said, reading off her dossier.

"Natsu, Lucy, that's where you come in. Tell your boss in the Bureau of Intelligence about this hot tip you got from a source somewhere. I leave the details to the both of ya," Gajeel continued.

"Gray, Juvia, I need you two to hack into Jose's computer. I need all the information you can find: bank accounts, emails, pictures. We have to ruin him," Levy explained.

"Juvia will get it all," Juvia replied. Levy nodded to her.

"Levy and I are going to go place audio and video bugs in Porla's office and residence after this meeting. He's out of town and security should be a bit more lax," Gajeel told the rest of the team. "All further orders will come directly from either me or Levy personally. If an order is sent through an email or phone call it is not legit."

Everyone nodded.

"We will meet again in three days to discuss progress. Good luck," Levy finished.


	8. Chapter 8

Note: Wow, haven't updated this in awhile. Sorry, I had the worst writer's block. It was bad. But I am now over it and I am currently writing a new chapter. With a lemon.

Chapter 8

"Why couldn't we have got Erza and Jellal to do this?" Gajeel whined as he and Levy lay on top of the roof of a dumpy seven-story apartment building directly across the street from the Prime Minister's official residence. It was just after 4 a.m., and the street was deserted. Even the usual drunk crowd had finally made their way home to their beds to pass out.

"They're busy with something else. Quit whining," she replied, watching the security guards at the residence walk back and forth through her small night vision goggles. The residence was lined with a 8-foot white brick wall except for one metal gate up front, which had a guardhouse with two guards inside. One guard was watching the monitors while the other was sleeping with his mouth open. The guards all wore black suits and black ties, and were all young men.

Levy was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and black pants, essential clothing for a nighttime raid. Gajeel was in his usual similar black attire. They both wore black hats to keep in their hair and gloves to obscure any fingerprints, not that Gajeel nor Levy had any fingerprints on file to match with in the Fiore Crime Database. Levy didn't even have an arrest record and Gajeel's identity had been changed several times by Juvia's hacking skills.

"Juvia, Gray, we're in position," Gajeel said into his walkie-talkie. "Why are we using these old-ass walkie-talkies?" Gajeel then asked Levy.

Levy rolled her eyes. "Do I have to explain it again? The security team phased these out years ago so there's no way they can hack or even track our signal. They no longer have the equipment for it. Plus Juvia and Gray boosted their signal and clarity. So I would really very much appreciate it if you would quit complaining," she chastised him.

"I can take the motion sensors down on the security wall now and Juvia can loop camera footage inside and outside the residence whenever you two are ready," Gray interrupted over his walkie talkie. He and Juvia were in the back of a white van eight miles away, parked on a public street. The van held two desks across from each other, where Gray and Juvia had set up all their equipment, including their servers and monitors. Gray was wearing no shirt again, while Juvia was wearing a blue furry coat and hat.

"So what's your weapon of choice nowadays Levy? I'm not seeing your swords with ya," Gajeel asked as he watched Levy continue to watch the guards.

"I still have my swords, I just didn't bring them on this mission. They're way too cumbersome to move around with. This is about stealth, so I just brought shruiken. Well, that and my knives. I'm assuming you brought your usual?" she replied, still watching the guards.

"Yep. I'm the guns n' explosives part of our little partnership here, and you're the swords n' every other weapon imaginable part," he said, smiling. "So how many guards are there?"

"Six in the front. That's not enough. Even when Jose is gone there are supposed to be at least 10 guards out front. That's protocol," she explained to Gajeel.

He scratched the side of his face. "So whaddya wanna do? Call this off?" he asked.

She looked at him for a few seconds, her brow furrowed in thought, analyzing the situation. "No, this might be our best shot, honestly. If the rest of the guards are inside, we'll have to evade them, which means you will keep watch while I go in. These aren't even the elite squad, they're basically the newest recruits that get stuck with house-sitting duties until Jose comes back, and then they become the secondary guard unit," Levy explained.

"Are these guys armed or what?" Gajeel inquired.

"Regulation taser and handgun. When Jose is in town there are snipers on the roof but they follow him around so that's not a concern. Plus, I have conducted a scan of the roof and it's empty," she told him.

"That's great n' all, but ya still haven't mentioned how we're gettin' in. I don't know if ya noticed, but there's a huge brick wall in the way," Gajeel said, pointing at said wall.

"I told you! We're going to climb over the wall," she said, putting her binoculars in her zipped pants pocket and preparing to leave.

"I'm a big guy Levy. That rope you brought isn't gonna hold me," Gajeel commented as they walked towards the fire escape stairs, Gajeel in front and Levy behind him.

"I'm aware how big you are, but," Levy started to argue but was interrupted by Gajeel.

"Gihi, yeah ya are," he joked.

"Seriously?" she replied, exasperated, while she shook her head at him. "Anyway, this rope will hold you, so get ready to climb the damn wall."

"Oooh, ya gettin' a bit testy there shrimp?"

"You do know how to drive me crazy," Levy replied.

Gajeel stopped and turned around to look at her. Since Levy was up a step above him they were almost the same height and were therefore now almost face-to-face. For a while neither of them said anything and just stared at the other until he reached for her.

"Levy..." he whispered, while caressing her face with his hands. She was so beautiful, just like he remembered.

"What?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He was such an enigma to her, so rough in his exterior and at the same time so gentle towards her.

"I only drive ya crazy because I really like ya," he replied, toothily smiling. He leaned in and kissed her softly.

She pushed him away after a minute. "Yeah, we're kind of in the middle of something, so we can deal with this later," she reminded him.

"Fine. But we will finish this later," he said sternly. Then he whispered in her ear. "And what I mean by that is I'm gonna make ya scream my name over and over in the most pleasurable way later tonight."

She didn't reply but her body did. She felt her insides clench with anticipation. She turned away and quickly descended the stairs. Gajeel just smirked to himself.

"Gray, you and Juvia cut the sensors and start the camera loop," Gajeel said into his walkie-talkie as he followed Levy down.

They made their way to the bottom of the stairs and waited for Gray and Juvia's assurance that everything had been taken care of.

"Juvia has started the loop and Gray has taken down the sensors," Juvia said a couple seconds later over the walkie-talkie.

"We'll be climbing the wall then. Watch your monitors and let us know if any guards move towards us," Levy replied into her walkie-talkie.

"No problem," Gray replied.

"So what do you think the chances are those two are hooking up," Gray asked Juvia in the van while he watched Levy and Gajeel set up the rope to climb over the wall, on the opposite side of the guard house.

"Gajeel once told Juvia about a woman he had loved once when he was slightly, um, intoxicated one night and we were bored on a job. He told Juvia she was short and short-tempered, and she had hair as blue as the sky," Juvia replied as she also watched them, her chair now in front of Gray's.

"Hmmm, that sounds like Levy, though I don't know either of them well enough to know for sure," Gray replied. Levy was almost halfway up the wall while Gajeel watched and waited for her to reach the top.

"Juvia thinks that Levy is the woman that Gajeel loved. He came back to Fiore to be with her," Juvia swooned. Juvia found the whole story extremely romantic, which got her thinking about her love towards Gray. She gave him an innocent look. He knew that look. She was about to grab him.

"Aren't you warm Juvia? I think it's so hot in here," Gray said quickly to change the subject. He was highly aware of Juvia's love for him, he just wasn't sure yet about how he felt about her.

Juvia turned and looked at him then blushed. "Is that why you're only in your underwear now," she asked as she turned away. Her heart couldn't bear the sight.

"What?" He looked down. He was only wearing his underwear. Damn. "I'm sorry Juvia."

"Juvia is fi...wait, there's a guard approaching them!" Juvia exclaimed as she glanced at the monitors. Levy and Gajeel had both made it up the wall. They were gathering up the rope from the top of the wall but couldn't see the guard coming due to the large tree they had anchored the rope on. The large, leafy branches blocked their line of sight.

"Guard approaching from the west," Juvia whispered into the walkie-talkie.

Gajeel and Levy quickly gathered the rope and made the short leap to one of the tree branches. Gajeel stood up against the trunk and held Levy against him while they waited for the guard to go past.

The guard was oblivious. It was apparent to both Levy and Gajeel that these guards were not taking their job seriously. The guard went past, whistling, and turned the corner to the front of the house.

"I think we could have stayed on top of the wall and that guy wouldn't have noticed. Come on," she said jovially.

They climbed down the tree and ran to the side window, which was locked.

"Hold on," Gajeel whispered, and radioed Gray and Juvia. "West side bathroom window needs to be unlocked."

Gray rolled his eyes. "You know we can see you in the security cameras, right? We're already on it. This place has at least three layers of security everywhere, it takes awhile to get past all the firewalls, ok?" he asked impertinently as he typed at his terminal furiously, still mostly naked.

"Sorry Gajeel, Juvia and Gray are on it, don't mind him. Give us a couple seconds and the window will click when it's unlocked," Juvia said sweetly.

"I only wanna talk to Juvia from now on if at all possible," Gajeel replied, irritated by Gray's attitude.

Levy smiled at him through the semi-darkness. "You really need to work on your manners."

"No one asked you, shrimp," he replied gruffly, looking around for more guards. The window lock clicked.

"Thank you Juvia and Gray. Please maintain radio silence from here on out until we rendezvous again," Levy said and turned off her walkie-talkie. She pried the window open and crawled through face-first, hoisting herself up on the ledge and landing silently on the carpeted floor of the residence. She was standing in a dark bathroom. It was rather large and luxurious, and it really angered Levy that Jose Porla got to live so well.

She turned and looked down at Gajeel, whose face was right below hers. "Stay here. I'm going to look around. I think we both know I'm more suited for stealth than you," Levy whispered.

"Fine shrimp. If you're not back in 15 minutes I will come in though," he warned her.

"Don't worry about it. I will remind you I am a professional," she replied, smiling. She turned around and quietly opened the bathroom door, which opened out to an equally dark hall. She saw lights flickering from an open door at the end of the hall and heard several voices. The other guards that were supposed to be out front, she assumed. And she was also sure they were in Porla's office, which was one of her two targets.

"Great," she thought to herself.

Jose's room was attached to the bathroom, so she closed the bathroom door and went back to the window to Gajeel.

"The remaining security guards are in Jose's office. Can you go to that window outside that room just in case? I'll put the bugs in his bedroom and be over there in two minutes," she explained

He nodded. "Can do," he said obligingly, then closed the window and walked off to the other side of the building.

She opened the door between the bedroom and bathroom and snuck her way into the equally opulent bedroom. Once again she was irritated that a man who had orchestrated the death of children lived in such a nice place. He should be living in a hovel. A hovel would be harder to bug though. She unzipped the pockets of her pants and took out two bugs. She crawled under the bed and placed one bug underneath the plug-in for the lamp on his bedside table. No one ever looked down there, due to the inconvenience of having to either move the bed or go underneath it. The other bug was placed in his bookshelf behind a book on ethics.

"Like he ever read that," Levy muttered quietly. She once again crept out into the hall and made her way towards the sound of the TV. As she got closer she realized the guards were playing some kind of video game. When she reached the open door she very slowly peeked around into the room.

Four guards were playing a racing game of some sort in the dark, their backs to her. The tv with the game was set up on the wall across from her, and the sofa where the guards were faced it. A large desk sat at the back of the room where a large window was covered by heavy red curtains.

Levy first got another big out of her pocket, making sure to quietly unzip and rezip it. She then quietly walked through the door and got down on her hands and knees, crawling between the sofa and a table up against the wall. She slowly made progress towards the desk, where she intended on planting the last bug.

The guards were much too absorbed in their game, yelling at the screen and each other, to notice another person in the room. Why they had the lights off was another mystery to Levy. She decided it worked to her advantage so she wouldn't complain. She crawled around the desk and was moving the chair out of the way slowly to check out of the bottom of the desk when the phone on it rang.

Luckily, the desk was an old one with panels on the front, so they could only see her if they walked around to the back. She crawled underneath it quickly. One of the guards paused the game and got up. Levy froze, hoping they wouldn't come around to the back of the desk. She put her hand over her mouth to stifle the sound of her breathing.

The guard, thankfully, was lazy, and grabbed the phone from the front of the desk. Levy was still nervous, however. What if this call was to say they had captured Gajeel somehow? She strained her ears.

"Hello, this is Jenkins. Yeah...oh yeah, let's totally order pizza! Call us when it gets here! Awesome, bye," the guard, presumably with the name Jenkins, said into the phone. He then hung up, and the guards started up their game again, babbling about the excitement of getting pizza.

Levy sighed inwardly. What a bunch of amateurs. She placed one bug in the back right hand corner of the bottom of the desk and slowly crawled towards the curtains. It was then she finally noticed that the window was open. She hadn't noticed from afar since the curtains didn't move too much in the breeze. She cursed this job. So far this had all been much too simple. It made her uneasy.

She inched the curtains up from the floor and crawled underneath them, keeping the heavy curtains at her back. The curtains were too thick to show her silhouette from the light outside and any slight disturbance would probably be blamed on the breeze, so she quickly climbed on the ledge of the window and lightly hopped down onto the grass below. Just as she was wondering where Gajeel was, she felt a familiar arm grab her and haul her into some nearby bushes.

Seconds later, a bit more diligent guard came by and noticed the open window. "Hey guys, close this window! Just because the boss is gone doesn't mean you can blow off protocol," the guard yelled through the open window at the other guards who were inside playing video games. He then slammed the window shut and stomped off, muttering something angry-sounding.

Gajeel sighed in Levy's ear. "That was too damn close. Can we leave now? Please tell me ya got that all done," he whispered.

Levy turned around and gave him an annoyed look. "Of course I got it done. I'm not an amateur like this bunch of clowns. I wonder how Jose Porla is still alive with these goons watching him," Levy replied, loosening herself from his grasp and standing behind a tree. He followed after her and stood right behind her.

"Why are you always hovering?" she demanded in a low voice as she scanned the yard, looking for a good place on the wall to exit.

"I just found ya again, so I'm not lettin' ya outta my sight," he whispered again in her ear.

She shivered. Why did he have to whisper in her ear like that? It was distracting, especially since they were still technically in enemy territory.

He grinned. Oh how he loved to make her react to him. It was worth waiting for her all these years.

She hit him in the chest with the back of her hand, then pointed towards a tree next to the wall. "It looks like we can climb that tree and get on top of the wall again. You still have the rope right?"

"Yes ma'am," he replied as he untied the rope that had been tied around his waist. He gathered it all up in one hand and nodded. "Let's go."

They ran to the tree, worried about any patrolling guards, and stood between the wall and the tree, which gave them some cover. Levy had Gajeel boost her up to the closest branch, and they both made it far enough where they could safely make it over to the top of the wall.

"They should probably get rid of these trees," Gajeel commented as they reached the top of the wall.

"They're probably not worried since there's usually motion sensors and working cameras here," she replied curtly.

"There's a guard coming," Gajeel warned Levy. The guard couldn't see them yet because of the tree, but he would in about a minute once he got around it.

"We should..." Levy started but was once again cut off by Gajeel grabbing her with his arm and hauling her body close to his. Then he jumped off the wall, putting her body on top of his, and landing in a large thicket of bushes, which cradled their fall enough that Gajeel was only minorly hurt and Levy just had scratches from the bushes.

"Hey, shrimp, that seriously hurt me. I think my shoulder is super messed up now," Gajeel grunted.

She got off him and noticed him holding his arm. "Can you get up?"

"Can't I just lay here awhile and suffer for a minute," Gajeel replied.

"I'll radio Juvia and Gray to bring the van over," she said, and did that while Gajeel tried to stand up.

He got into a sitting position amongst the leaves and branches when Levy returned. His clothes were torn in several places, as were hers. She found her rope that he had been holding in the bushes and tied it back around her waist, knotting it in place.

"I'm sorry," she murmured as she stroked his face, trying to soothe him. She knew he was probably in pain, and they were lucky they weren't more seriously hurt.

"Don't say that. Ya didn't do anything, I was the one who decided to jump off that wall," he replied. He was sweating and his arm still hurt, but he didn't regret it. He would bear any pain to keep his Levy safe.

"So you know that sex you thought we were having tonight? It is definitely not happening now," she teased, kissing his nose and then getting up to look for the van.

He shot straight up. "Whaddya mean? I take an actual fall for ya and now I don't even get rewarded for that?"

"Quiet down! We're still near the wall. And, no, you don't get rewarded, because you need to heal and also because you made me fall off the wall," she hissed.

"Last time I checked, shorty, I saved your ass. And I don't need both my arms to please you. In fact, I don't need either of em," he replied lowly.

"Is that a challenge?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"Might be," he whispered defiantly. They just stared at each other, daring the other one to make a move.

"Um, you guys want a ride?" Gray asked. The van had pulled up awhile ago, but Juvia nor Gray had wanted to interrupt.

"Sorry, thank you Gray," Levy said kindly as she and Gajeel climbed in the back of the van.

"Juvia has never felt such a strong sexual tension between two people before," Juvia commented to Gray as they drive off.

"I just hope they don't do it in the back of the van. My computer's back there," Gray commented.


	9. Chapter 9

Note: Ha haha...yeah, sorry this took so long. I moved across the country and it's been stressful. I've been working on this chapter for months. I'm going to work on updating more often. Promise.

Thanks to all those who follow this fic. I keep writing for you and because of my love for Gajevy.

WARNING: LEMON! Yes, it's the long awaited smut I said I would write.

* * *

Gray dropped Gajeel off at his house, a medium-sized ranch in a quiet neighborhood outside of town, a rental he had before when he was in Magnolia. Levy insisted she go inside with him to tend his wound. She would just have someone pick her up later if needed. Gray nor Juvia said anything but just waved goodbye and left.

Levy held Gajeel while they walked toward his house. "Ya gonna have one of your goons pick ya up later? I bet they'd be thrilled finding ya here," Gajeel commented dryly as he walked up his porch steps.

"If by goons you mean Jet and Droy, I sent them on a mission. They're staking out Porla while he's out of the country. I needed them to be elsewhere for awhile," she explained.

He got his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door. They stepped into his dark living room. It was sparsely furnished and clean, with a sofa, coffee table, and tv in the corner. The windows didn't even have curtains, so all the rooms were bathed in light from the moon or streetlights.

He made his way to his brown sofa while she headed down the hall, assuming his kitchen had to be somewhere. It was down the hall and to the right, and it also had the minimum of furnishings. She got a paper towel and filled it with ice cubes from his freezer, then brought it back to the living room.

"Take off your shirt," she demanded, hoping her rough orders would deter him from making anything of her request.

"Ooh, someone's anxious. Gihi," Gaheel replied, laughing at her. He looked at her solemnly. "It hurts pretty bad. I need help."

"Fine," she said, sighing. He sat up on the sofa while she sat across from him, her eyes intent on his chest. She pulled his shirt up from the hem and slowly moved it up. She paused while he got his good arm out the sleeve, then she carefully lifted his shirt over his head and gently peeled the rest of it off over his bad left arm.

She couldn't stop herself from biting her lower lip. It had been so long since she had been with anyone, and here he was, Gajeel Redfox, the hottest guy she had ever been with, half-naked and bathed in the light of the moon. And damn him for being so attractive! His chest was all six-pack and scars and muscle. She wanted to run her hands over him, lick him, make him moan her name.

Which was more than fine with Gajeel, because Levy's eyes racing over his body and her look of pleasure were deeply gratifying to him and he would welcome any affection from her. He knew that she wanted him, it had been obvious from the start of their reunion, but the way she was gazing at him, all heated and lustful, was turning him on. Then when he noticed her biting her lower lip he could barely stand it.

"Sorry, did that hurt you any," Levy asked quietly, breaking the tension a little, as she pushed the ice on his shoulder.

He grabbed her wrist and removed the ice from her grip, setting it on the coffee table. "I'm fine," he replied darkly.

"You should ice that, it's pretty swollen and bruised," she said softly, not really sure what she was even saying. Her hazel eyes were burning into his crimson ones, and she found actual thought incredibly difficult.

"I'm fine, Levy," he said again, unable to break her gaze.

Finally her thoughts caught up to her and she found she could think somewhat properly. "Lay down," she ordered, and she got off the sofa and grabbed the ice again. He did as he was told and she sat next to him, her butt against his chest.

She took one ice cube out of the paper towel and ran it tenderly over the bruise on his shoulder, then moved the ice cube away and blew softly on the water left on his skin, causing him to shudder from the sensation. Goosebumps appeared on his skin.

His arm did not hurt anymore. Not at all. Seeing her lips purse as she blew on his skin had made all thoughts of pain disappear. His thoughts were hazy as she shifted positions to face him and moved the ice cube down his neck, ever so slowly. Excruciatingly slow. It melted by the time it reached his chest, and she blew on the wet trail it left again. He shivered.

"Ya sure do know how to seduce me," he said flatly.

She smiled knowingly, her hazel eyes mocking innocence. "I don't know what you mean. I'm just helping you feel better, aren't I? Don't you feel better, Gajeel?" she asked innocently as she lightly ran her hand down his side.

His breathing got heavy as she continued to run her hands up and down his skin. "Levy…"

"Hmmm…" she asked. She loved seeing how she could affect him just by touching his skin. Everywhere she touched his muscles would contract and his breathing got harsher. He was also sweating, a light sheen covering his body. He looked delicious.

"Levy, I need you," he replied, a slight tone of desperation in his voice. His eyes had closed and he looked strained.

"You need me to what?" she asked mischievously. This was his punishment for making her fall off that wall and making her worry when he got hurt.

He growled. He had enough of her teasing. He sat up on the sofa and hauled her over his good shoulder, putting his arm around her waist to keep her steady on him.

"Gajeel!" she exclaimed in surprise. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What do ya think? Taking you to my bedroom. And I don't want any interruptions this time, so if ya have your damn phone tell me now," he explained gruffly, still holding her over his shoulder.

"It's on the coffee table," she replied automatically. He looked and made sure.

"Now I don't want any more teasin'. You're all mine now, and I'm all yours, and I'm gonna prove it," he chided her as he walked quickly down the hall towards his bedroom. He kicked the door open and lightly set her on his bed, the only other things in the room adding up to one window with a thin curtain and a closet.

Levy propped herself up on her elbows and looked around. "You really don't bring anything with you, do you? This is the emptiest house I've ever seen," she commented as he took off his pants.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "It's a rental. I'm not gonna be here forever, ya know," he commented offhand.

"Oh," was all she could think to say. She stared blankly at the wall. She hadn't really thought about what would happen to her and Gajeel after this job. She mostly stayed in Magnolia, but he still worked all over Fiore and beyond. She couldn't expect him to stay here, no matter their feelings. It wasn't realistic.

He realized what he had said. He got on the bed, crawled over her and lightly grabbed her face with his hands, forcing her to look at him. "Levy, I just meant in this house. It's a pretty crappy spot. I mean, the neighborhood is nice and all, but this house isn't too great or anything. I might just move into your apartment instead, it's pretty nice," he said, smiling down at her.

He moved his hands to either side of her thin shoulders and kissed and sucked on her throat in the one spot where he remembered that she knew she liked. She moaned out loud and he looked up at her again.

"Like hell you will, Gajeel…" she argued, but not with much intensity behind it.

He collapsed beside her, his arm strength fading a bit from the pain. He lay next to her and cupped her face with his good arm. "Mmm, I know you'll give in to me. Don't ya always want me around to make you feel good," he teased, caressing her face with his thumb.

She pushed him over, climbed on top of him, straddling his hips. "What you don't understand, Iron Dragon, is that I don't depend on anyone for anything. I give orders in life. When I say jump, people ask how high, where at, and for how long," she replied. She then took off her shirt and bra, then stood up and removed her pants and underwear. While she did that he took off his own underwear, and finally they were both naked as she sat on top of him. "I don't need you for anything, but if I choose for you to be my lover, then maybe I will allow you to stay with me. For awhile, while I decide if you are good enough to keep around longer."

She grazed her fingers lightly over his chest, her eyes following her fingers.

"That's fine, I can deal with that. I'm more than good enough for you to keep me around," he boasted. His face turned serious. "Ya know, you're even more beautiful than I remember," he said lowly as he grazed her hips and the sides of her breasts with his large hands.

They were a total contrast; she was soft and he was hard, she was petite and seemingly delicate and he was tall and seemingly imposing. He knew she wasn't weak, and she knew he was capable of love. His heart had just enough room for her in it, and she would take it gladly.

She leaned down, pressing their chests together, and kissed him, softly at first, but more fiercely as time went by, her tongue wrapping around his. All the heated feelings they had before surfaced again, and they both started panting heavily.

Her skin was almost as blemished with scars like his, but hers were more faded since she hardly ever went out in the field anymore, while his were fresh from battles just fought. She traced over the scars on his arms lightly with the tips of her fingers.

He flipped her over and once again hovered over her. "Now I said no more teasin'." He attached his lips to her neck again, then licked and kissed his way down in between her breasts. He gradually moved his mouth over, teasing her nipples with his tongue and lips.

She arched her back in response, wanting more. She ran her small hands over the piercings on his arms before digging into his muscular forearm with her nails. She was starting to feel it, an indescribable feeling of pent-up energy that only Gajeel could release.

"Why did I ever leave you?" he murmured to himself. Her skin was intoxicating, the smell and the feel of it.

"I don't know. Way to bring that up," she replied in between her heavy breaths.

He was tired of her little barbs. He knew how to make her pay for them in the most delightful way. He reached down, feeling her, making sure she was wet enough. He stuck two of his fingers in her entrance, feeling all around. She started to thrash a bit underneath him. He took his fingers out, satisfied with the amount of slickness on them. He dug around under his bed for a box of condoms. He got one out and slid it on while she watched.

"Why do you have those?" she asked accusingly, crossing her arms.

He shrugged and grinned mischievously. "I just thought I'd be prepared, since it's been obvious from day one you wouldn't be able to resist me."

She started to open her mouth to argue but he kissed her fiercely instead, taking her breath away and making it impossible to argue. He then sat up and took her with him, so she could straddle him on his lap. It was one of the better positions for their height difference. She giggled slightly as she almost tipped over but she grabbed his shoulders and settled on top of him. He didn't say anything, but looked at her, waiting.

She kissed him, hard, savoring the feel of his mouth on hers. Then she moved herself up slightly and came down on his erect penis. She braced her feet on the bed on either side of him and continued moving up and down, and his hips rose to meet her over and over. They both moaned aloud, taking turns saying each other's names breathlessly.

He gripped her hips tightly as he felt himself getting close to coming, but he held on until he knew she was there. She arched her back, gripping his shoulders, her nails once again leaving marks, as she felt her walls clench around him.

"Gajeel," she cried as she came, feeling the sensation throughout her entire body. He kissed her again and thrust into her, his release causing tremors all over. He hadn't felt anything that intense in such a long time.

When it was over and they were both exhausted, he lay her beside him and wrapped his big arms around her. They were still both panting a bit, but eventually their breathing returned to normal. He pulled the white sheet around them and nuzzled his face into her neck.

She smiled, feeling more content than she had in a long time. They fell into a deep sleep, exhausted from their previous late nights and the exertions from earlier.


	10. Chapter 10

Levy woke up to meowing and the rays of the sun in her eyes. She felt a big arm wrapped around her as she finally came awake. She fully opened her eyes to see Gajeel watching her carefully.

"Sorry, Pantherlily's hungry," he apologized.

"I'm guessing that is the name of your cat. You take a cat around with you?" Levy asked, her eyebrows raised questioningly.

"I brought him cuz I thought I might be here awhile. I usually just have someone watch him," he explained, stretching his arms above his head.

He had lost the covering of the sheet and she raked her eyes down his still naked body. She couldn't help it. He looked just as delicious in the sunlight as he did in the moonlight. She shook her head to try and rid herself of her dirty thoughts.

He noticed her gaze. "Can't get enough, huh? Ya need it in the mornin' too?" he teased, his usual smirk on his face.

"I'm fine, thank you. Where is the bathroom? I need a shower," she said, not taking his bait.

"Door across the hall," he told her. He got up, still naked. She forced herself not to look again. "I'm gonna feed Lily." He walked out of the room, leaving the door open.

He hadn't said anything about last night. Oh well, it wasn't the first time they slept together. She pulled the sheet over her head. "Get it together Levy," she murmured to herself.

Levy walked into the bathroom, figured out the shower faucet, and hopped in. The warm water felt good on her tired body. She noticed marks she had gotten from him last night. She closed her eyes, remembering how good she felt with him.

She was right in the middle of her hot little recollection when she heard the bathroom door open.

"Gajeel?"

He opened the white shower curtain and got in with her. He just stared at her for a bit, but then grabbed her and pulled her wet body against him.

"I kept thinkin' about you all naked and wet in here and I thought I should join ya," he growled in her ear. His hands were all over her body, running it up and down the slick surface of her wet skin.

She put her arms around him. She looked up at him innocently. "Are you going to wash my hair or something?"

"Did ya enjoy yourself last night," he asked, ignoring her teasing.

She shrugged, but her smile betrayed her indifference.

He slowly pushed her against the wall of the shower, taking very slow and deliberate steps. He leaned down and kissed her shoulder, and she shivered.

"Your body always tells me the truth. Ya want me so bad," he said confidently, in between kisses. He moved his lips up her neck and started to suck on her earlobe.

Her throat was too dry to reply. All she could muster was a slight moan. She was just about to surrender herself when her eyes snapped open. "Oh shit!"

She pushed herself away from him, grabbed a towel from a shelf and wrapped it around her body, and then practically ran into the living room and picked up her phone.

She had six missed calls from Lucy and three from Natsu. She expected one, two at the most. She felt uneasy instantly.

Gajeel stalked into his living room, a towel around his waist. "What's wrong?"

She called Lucy. While it rang, she told Gajeel, "I was supposed to get a check-in call from Lucy. But she and Natsu have called me several times and I'm a tad concerned."

Lucy finally answered. "Code Blue," was all she said, and hung up the phone immediately.

Levy cursed. She turned to Gajeel. "Lucy and Natsu have possibly been found out. We have to extricate them," she explained.

"How do ya know that? You were on the phone for like two seconds."

"Years ago I made a list of words that Lucy and Natsu should call and tell me in certain situations. She said 'Code Blue,' which means they may have been compromised and they need to leave the Bureau immediately."

He crossed his arms and looked at her thoughtfully. "Ok, so what's your plan to get 'em out?"

"I have about a million plans, but we need to suss out the situation before we take any action. I knew this job was way too easy so far."

* * *

Lucy had been having a terrible day at work so far. First, Lucy had been yelled at by her boss for being one minute late. Then, Natsu had come to her office to tell her that one of their co-workers, Yukino, had started asking questions about a possible mole in the Investigative branch.

"Wait, what did she say exactly? Is she leading the hunt for the mole?" Lucy demanded of Natsu when he had told her what had happened.

"Just that she was leading an investigation into our department and we would all be questioned. This isn't good, Luce," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck with a concerned look on his face.

Lucy narrowed her eyes in thought, tapping a pen on her desk. "If they knew exactly who it was we would have been black bagged and in some holding cell in a far-off country by now, being tortured. No, I think we'll be ok, as long as we can keep our wits about us," Lucy said thoughtfully.

Natsu sat next to her on her desk and she looked up at him from her chair. "I'm not so sure. See, I asked around. The only people in our department that are getting questioned are you and I. I'm pretty sure Yukino said everyone else was getting interviewed to lure me into a false sense of security. We gotta call Levy. We can't stay," Natsu argued. Lucy saw the desperation in his eyes. He was worried about her safety.

"OK, I'll call Levy. You go back to your office and act normal. When was Yukino supposed to start the interviews?" Lucy questioned.

"This afternoon, after lunch. She's going to be in a meeting upstairs until then," Natsu advised.

"Maybe they're looking for definitive proof that we're the moles. I don't see any other reason why she would be in a meeting with any of the higher-ups. Go to your office and get all the information on Porla you can. Take it slowly, you can't exceed your file uploads or IT will be down here to check your credentials. I'll get everything I can on the Exceed program, my clearance is higher than yours,' she said, her plan coming together in her mind.

"Yeah, don't get me started on that. I'm still pissed you got promoted ahead of me," Natsu teased, grinning.

"This isn't the time for jokes, Natsu. I'm going to call Levy on my burner phone. I'll tell her it's a Code Blue. I'm sure she'll come up with a plan from there," Lucy chided him. She gave him a hard look.

He held up his hands in defeat. "I'm going. See ya," he said, shuffling out of the room.

Natsu's office was across the room from Lucy's. He had asked for that office so he could look up and see her whenever he wanted. But today he caught himself glancing at her more often than he usually did. He saw her make the calls to Levy and not get a response. He tried to call Levy himself a couple times, just to make sure there wasn't something wrong with Lucy's phone. He was extracting some files from a zip file when he saw Lucy mouth the words "Code Blue" into her burner. She looked across the room and nodded at him.

* * *

"Wait, so how are ya gonna find out anything about their situation. You already hung up the phone with Lucy," Gajeel asked as Levy got all of her stuff together in his house.

"Natsu will send me an email from a random email address he'll create today. He'll tell me the situation in code and then I'll send them a coded message back. Natsu will then close out the email account and we will extract them," Levy explained, grabbing her cell phone and opening her email app. After about a minute, she received an email from Natsu. She quickly read it, thought about it for a couple seconds, and replied. She then put her phone in sleep mode.

Gajeel had been looking at her impatiently the entire time. "Well?"

"I think this will make you happy, Gajeel. We are going to set fire to the Bureau of Intelligence building."


End file.
